Demand for jobs related to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) continues to grow, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasting nearly 11% growth in STEM occupations between 2021 and 2031.

That's one reason Eastern Michigan University (EMU) and its College of Education established an Institute for STEM Education, Outreach, and Workforce Development earlier this year. The institute's mission is to leverage EMU's applied research, outreach, and curriculum to encourage local students to pursue STEM fields, and to serve as a resource hub for Washtenaw County.
Ryan GildersleeveRyan Gildersleeve.
"We're seeing an increased demand for STEM occupations, and at the same time, we're finding that the populations we find in Ypsilanti historically have been precluded from participating in STEM fields broadly," says Ryan Gildersleeve, the dean of EMU's College of Education. He says encouraging Ypsi students to pursue STEM careers "fits into Eastern's mission as an institution of opportunity."

EMU partnered with Ypsilanti Community Schools and Lincoln Consolidated Schools on the institute. It's funded by a $10 million, five-year grant from Toyota's Driving Possibilities initiative, which aims to promote STEM education in southeast Michigan. Gildersleeve says Toyota initiated the conversation about funding the initiative because Toyota staff saw supporting the new institute as a good fit for their social innovation work.

"Especially in Washtenaw County, they're seeking to effect change in STEM education and STEM outcomes for Ypsilanti families and youth," Gildersleeve says. 

He says initiative partners "hatched the idea for a community-driven hub for STEM" that would strengthen STEM education in the greater Ypsilanti area.

EMU recently appointed Sibrina Collins as head of the institute. Collins brings a mix of hard science background and education to the role. She continues to teach as a chemistry professor and she served as the founding executive director of the Marburger STEM Center on the campus of Lawrence Technological University from 2016 to 2023.
Sibrina CollinsSibrina Collins.
Collins says she always poses the question to herself: "If you could impact a student, how would you do it? How would you get them excited?"

Collins has used pop culture to reach students, showing the movie "Black Panther" and using a discussion about the mythical substance "vibranium" in order to teach about the periodic table. Tying STEM into everyday issues is a tactic she'll continue to pursue.

"One thing that's very clear is that the pandemic we have all been impacted by has shown in real time why STEM matters, why it's important in terms of developing vaccines and therapeutics for treating disease," she says. "STEM impacts every aspect of our society from those therapeutics to laundry detergent and shampoo. It's all STEM."

Gildersleeve says the institute will leverage relationships and a "broad range of assets" from all the colleges that make up EMU, not just the College of Education. He notes that the College of Education and other programs across the university focus on place-based, problem-based, project-based education, known as the "3 P" approach. He notes that this is a rigorously reviewed, evidence-based approach that will be used in the STEM institute's programing as well.

Collins emphasizes that the power of the institute comes from its partnerships and collaborations. She says she'll work directly with teachers and administrators from each Washtenaw County school district to design hands-on activities that will keep students engaged.
Doug CoombeLincoln High School's Linc-Bots team in 2019.
Robert Jansen, superintendent of Lincoln Consolidated Schools, describes the institute as a "wraparound program with all these partnerships, using these resources we have available to create these career pathways for kids."

Jansen says the best way to get kids into STEM education and careers is "introducing [STEM] early and often" from pre-kindergarten onward.

"It's about connecting with kids and giving them opportunities to find what their interests and passions are," he says.

He notes that some families have income and privileges that allow them to go on field trips, travel abroad, and give their children other enriching experiences. Others, due to family circumstances, rarely get to leave their own neighborhoods. Jansen says part of his aim is to make sure kids get exposed to many career paths so they can broaden their ideas about what is possible for them.

 "We want to give them experiences so they can see themselves in whatever direction they want to go in life," he says.

He says robotics programs in his district and throughout southeast Michigan are the type of project-based, hands-on learning opportunities he hopes to promote with the institute's help. He says he believes the institute's work will be key to helping students develop soft skills, like critical thinking, communication, and empathy, that are necessary to adapt to changing technology and trends.
Doug CoombeLincoln High School's Linc-Bots team in 2019.
"It's about being good human beings," he says. "A lot of employers are looking for people that can relate to other people and be a good teammate someone can collaborate with and think through a problem critically with."

Jansen is also excited that the STEM institute will expand his district's existing efforts to allow students to leave high school with "stackable" credentials already earned.

Collins says she hopes the STEM institute will create a welcoming atmosphere where exploration is encouraged.

"I want to make sure the students in these districts are collaborating and all have access to high-quality STEM education," she says. "We want students to have opportunities to take risks and fail, be creative, and be prepared for STEM careers and future opportunities."

Sarah Rigg is a freelance writer and editor in Ypsilanti Township and the project manager of On the Ground Ypsilanti. She joined Concentrate as a news writer in early 2017 and is an occasional contributor to other Issue Media Group publications. You may reach her at sarahrigg1@gmail.com.

Lincoln Robotics photos by Doug Coombe. All other photos courtesy of the subjects.